the wicked witches of the east

Now, i am no chicken. good german assertiveness... so you shouldn't assume i could sit it out all day in the hotel, last weekend.
so i went on a little expedition on the stormy day (as a side note: don't go out when it is raining in japan, you will definitely get wet to the bones) into the protective coat of thick forest around the island to find a shinto shrine situated on top of a mountain. to reassure myself that there is no ship in sight and in turn have a better view of the inferno that surrounded the island.
and there, of all places, in a small cabin half way up i found 4 little grandmas. i couldn't believe my eyes. not only did they manage to get up there in what they said was the worst storm they have ever seen! even more, someone let them get up there!!
and because i had thrown a coin at the shrine, they invited me in to have a green tea and some tangerines. very sweet ladys, very friendly. if you read this: thank you.
"faces of americans are always beautiful" they said. for most elderly japanese, foreigners are naturally from the usa. and yes, YOU, even YOU, can be a star here in japan.